PRIME MINISTER MEETS WITH THE STATE’S ADMINISTRATIVE LEADERSHIP
On Monday, Prime Minister J.Erdenebat met with heads of state administrative organizations and state-owned enterprises to discuss strengthening discipline.
The Prime Minister pointed out that the new Cabinet has been working to bring about a consolidated state budget. He told the state administrators, “We have uncovered a number of cases involving illegal budget spending by evaluating projects being implemented through concession agreements and bond financing.”
He noted that regaining the trust of foreign investors is a positive result of the work the new Cabinet has carried out over the past several months. He added that the current economic challenges arise from unregulated spending, so avoiding the repetition of past mistakes is important.
The PM stressed that state officials should always remember that the government is not an institution that should make an official’s business successful and help them make more money. He said that if someone views the government in this way, that person should resign immediately.
Prime Minister J.Erdenebat said that when heads of state administrative organizations and state-owned enterprises go on working visits abroad, they must travel by economy class, which Cabinet Secretariat J.Munkhbat will monitor.
The PM added that he has instructed the Cabinet Secretariat to make sure that visits are less expensive, and noted that the salaries of the heads of state administrative organizations and stateowned enterprises have been decreased by 30 to 60 percent.
He also instructed the Head of the Government Agency for Policy Coordination on State Property to cut state spending without cutting necessities. For example, all the heads of state administrative organizations in districts, provinces, and soums have been prohibited from organizing ceremonies for the presentation of official seals and for when officials leave office.
The Premier called on state officials and the public to tighten spending. He added that the state will provide targeted groups with welfare distribution through a transparent system as other countries do.
The PM stated that the International Monetary Fund has offered the Government of Mongolia the chance to harness its financial discipline, but that it will be impossible to practice financial discipline without political discipline. He noted, “Maintaining friendly relations and political stability will be of great importance to overcoming the nation’s economic difficulties, so we will fight activities that are against national interests and justice.”